If you use OFF Mosquito Spray You MUST read this!

[Helen]

Ok - just had to share this tip. ROFL now - but was about ready to cry a few minutes ago! But now that I finally have a solution to a problem I've been having, I'm happy again!

In the last 2 weeks, my computer mouse has been acting up and sometimes starts jumping all over the screen and clicking things off and disconnecting me from messages I am in the middle of writing, designing, and last week during my magazine deadline, even froze up and I couldn't click on anything. Needless to say I was going to lose some things I was working on.

Thank goodness I have a wacom tablet and the pen on it worked fine and got me unlocked. Glad I even thought of that - I usually don't use my wacom pen on my magazine work.

Well, it was acting up again on me tonight, and since I know uninstalling it and using another mouse is not the answer (I've tried that), the light bulb finally went off tonight in my head.

I live in an area with tons of mosquitoes - in northern Illinois we have had a lot of rain this summer and I use tons of OFF mosquito spray to ward them off.

I just finished using water to clean off my mouse pad and my mouse ball - yep gave him a bath. Not just wiping it off like I usually do - this time he got WASHED real good! And so did the mouse pad!

I think the OFF mosquito spray had built up on my mouse pad (overspray on my hands I guess) and it was wreaking havoc with my mouse ball. Everything seems ok for now - so hopefully I have NOW solved my 'technical problem' with my computer and mouse.

ROFL - go figure - in all the years I've used a computer - I never had to give my mouse ball a BATH! And it seems to be working! ROFL.

That sticky OFF stuff just ends up on your mouse pad and then the mouse ball and then if the weather is just right - it's like the 4th of July on my computer screen with screens opening and clicking all over the place. It's kind of fun to watch IF you are not working on something you don't want to lose.

Will let you know if this is not the solution - but it seems to be working now just fine. From now on, I will have to remember to use water and keep my mouse pad free from any 'OFF' sticky mosquito spray.

Just had to share this tip! IF you use a lot of any kind of mosquito spray that is sticky (or anything else for that matter) then wash off your mouse pad and mouse ball! Before it builds up and gives you grief!

That's my tip for this week!

[Mom_of_5]

Great tip, Helen! I just cleaned Alex's last week. He was yelling at his computer game calling it stupid. I was not pleased! He started complaining that the mouse wouldn't move and his game was just 'doing things'...first thing I did was clean the mouse. All's happy now! No more name calling (for the computer, that is!)

[uinthas]

Good to know! I actually have a friend who is constantly having this problem & come to think of it, she uses lotion constantly. I will have to suggest this to her!

[Debra]

Great Tip Helen! Thanks so much for sharing!

[LisasMom]

I used to have a problem like that too. It is so humid here a lot plus our back patio door faces a heavily traveled and very dusty alley. I was forever having to take out the roller ball and clean the inside of my mouse! My son finally solved that problem by buying me a mouse that has no roller ball! It has the little red light on the bottom of it - its not wireless, just plain and simple, but it has the infrared light instead of a roller ball. And best of all, it was only $10 at Walmart!!

[TammyM]

Helen, you should really try an optical mouse. They aren't very expensive anymore and the best part, NO MORE BALL! I'd never go back.

[Muma]

I have a rollerball mouse [can't use a real mouse anymore LOL, I get so frustrated with it] and have the same problem, I use a lot of hand creams n stuff. I usually give my mouse a wash once or twice a month becuase it will start jumping. Never had it start to close things on my though.

[kpieczyn]

Thanks for the tip Helen!

[FlowerGarden]

Haha, that's so funny! I hate mosquitos! Ugh! I'm not a big fan of the old ball mouse because you cant get precise corners if you're doing a lot of outlining/pen tooling.

[tinkriley]

Thanks for the tip! Now if I will only remember this tip when the weather is warmer. LOL!